Refrigerator



F. STOLTMAN AND w. SUMNER.

REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 192i.

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/'7?ANK STOLTMAN. WALTER SUMNER.

BY 7% M/ A TORNEYS.

I TORS:

F. STOLTMAN AND W. SUMNER.

REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION HLED SEPT- 21, I92!- Patented May 16, 1922.

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INVENTORS: FRANK STOLTMAN. WALTER SUMNER. BY Mr ATTORNEYS,

F. STOLTMAN AND W. SUMNER.

REFMGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 2|, 1921.

Patented May 16, 1922.

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INvENTORs: fiPA/wv STOLTMAN.

WALTER SU 5y Wm ,M

ATTORNEYS.

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tilt i l iilifi FRANK STOLTF'XAN AND HALTER SUMNER, OF IMINNEAPOLIS, BIINNESOTA.

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Specification of Letters Iatent. aw -ma m 1 1922,

Application filed September 21, 1521. serial No. 502,136.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK STOLTMAN and Vilimna SUMNER, citizens of .the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators, of which the following is a specification. v

Our invention relates to refrigerators, and an object is to provide a refrigerator for household use in which. the ice is placed in a removable ice receptacle so related to the compartments of the structure that an effective circulation of air through the compartments will be maintained with a smallconsumption of ice so as to produce a sufliciently low temperature to preserve articles of food placed in the compartments. In carrying out the invention, we provide a vacuum casing for surrounding the ice receptacle, and obtain a constant circulation of chilled air by connecting the upper compartment of the refrigerator with the topof the vacuum casing, chilled air passing from the bottom of the casing in succession through thevarious compartments. 7

The full objects and advantages of our invention will appear in connection with the detailed description, and the novel features embodied in our inventive idea will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the' accompanying drawings which illustrate one form 111 which our invention may be embodied,

Fig. 1 is a view in central vertical section of the refrigerator. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken at right a ngles to the position shown in Fig. 1 and showing the supporting door in opened position. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the con nection of a fine with a casing. Fig. 5 is a View in horizontal section on the line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a view in horizontal section on the line 66 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a view in horizontal section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a detail view in horizontal section.

Referring to the construction shown in the drawings, the numeral 10 designates in general the outer walls of the refrigerator which, as is customary, are. double and suitably packed with heat insulating material. The interior of the refrigerator is divided into an ice chamber and suitable compartments for food. As shown, there is a lower and this well also separates the compartment 18 from'the ice chamber and from the compartment 12 and it partly separates the compartments 12 and 16 from; each other. Compartment 12 at its top is provided with cross strips 32 upon which rests a drip receptacle 34 from the bottom of which a waste pipe 36 leads. Above the strips and beyond the sides of the drip receptacle '84 are flanges 38 and 40 secured to the structure of the refrigerator and which .slidably support a frame 42, the sides of which: are

connected by cross "bars 44 and 46 so that the bottom of this supporting structureis partly open. The frame orv support 42 has a peripheral upstanding flange48 and the sides of the frame at their'lower. ends are provided with slots 50. Hinged at 52 in front ofthe ice chamber is a door 54 adapted to be swung downwardly and tobe supported by a pair of two-part. link members 56 pivotally attached at opposite ends to the door and to the refrigerator structure. Attached to the inner sides of the door are upstanding tracks 58 and the grooves 50 fit upon these tracks when the frame is pulled forwardly so as to slide out upon the opened door 54. The flange 48 is adapted to receive the lower open end of a double-walled vacuum casing 60 provided. with handles 62 by means of which this casing and the frame 42 supporting same may be readily pulled forwardly. An ice receptacle G4 is normally positioned within the casing 60 in spaced relation to the inner wall thereof, and this receptacle is supported upon the cross bars 44 and 46. This receptacle is adapted to receive ice designated at I in Fig. 1, and the bottom of the receptacle is perforated as shown in Fig. 6 while the side walls are perforated as indicated in Fig. 1. These perforations permit the water as the ice melts to pass into the drip receptacle 34 and also permit the chilled air to flow down past the cross strips 32 and the cross bars 44 and 46.

In order to prevent water dripping down into the compartment 12 when the ice receptacle is drawn forwardly, a trough 66 may be provided having a hole 68 leading into the drip receptacle 34 as shown'in Fig. 2. In order that the casing 60 may bee);- hausted of air, the top thereof is provided with an opening controlled by a check valve 70 which valve is ordinarily covered by a removable cap 72. In order to prevent collapsing of the top walls of the casing 60 a plurality of horizontal strips 74 and vertical strips 76 are placed between the vertical walls. In order to allow the air to be readily exhausted from the casing, the strips are provided with holes 78 as shown in Fig. 8. As will appear from this figure, the strips are notched where they cross each other. As shown in Fig. 1, the top walls of the casing are reinforced by similar strips. Extending centrally through the top walls of the casing and secured thereto is a tube 80. A deflector plate 82 is secured below this tube by means of lugs 84:. A flue 86 leads from the upper portion of the compartment 22 to a place which is directly over the tube 80 when the casing 60 is in place in the ice chamber, and this fine is provided with an opening which is downwardly directed so as to register with the tube 80. Pivotally attached to the flue adjacent this opening is a two-part collar 88 adapted to be latched around the tube 80 for COIlIlGctiIlg the fine with the interior of the casing 60 in substantially airtight manner.

The operation and advantages of our invention will be obvious from the foregoing description. On account of theice receptacle being surrounded by a vacuum casing, melting of the ice is prevented except in suflicient amount to properly chill the current of air passing through the casing and pulled out. a a

In testimony whereof we hereunto, allix' through the food compartments again com-v mences.

We .clalm I l.- A refrigerator comprising top, bottom and side walls for enclosing an ice chamber and food compartments, a removable ice compartment for said ice chamber, a removable vacuum casing surrounding said ice receptacle, a pipe for connecting the upper food compartment with the top of said casing when the latter is in p1ace,'said ice re ceptacle having perforations for the passage of chilled air, and an open work support for said ice receptacle which permits the chilled air to pass downwardly therethrough.

2. A refrigerator comprising an ice chamber, food compartments adjacent thereto, an ice receptacle for said chamber, a door horizontally hinged at the bottom of said chamher, a movable support for said receptacle adapted to be pulled out from said chamber on to said door when opened, a drip receptacle positioned below said chamber, and a trough connected to said drip receptacle at thefront thereof, said trough being adapted to receive the drip when said support is our signatures.

FRANK sroLrMAN; WALTER SUMNER, 

